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Anyone who has a Beta machine has examined the neat little cassette that holds the video tape. It's rigid, light and compact, not flimsy and sloppy like the larger cassette used by the other format. Even though its intended size was to "fit in your pocket" its smaller footprint ultimately helped to bring down the format. The mechanics and design of this little marvel are something worthy of closer examination, and that is shown here. There is a collection of fourteen photos above so lets look at this first one with the parts identified. On the right in this first picture you see part of the locking lever. (It is in lids rectangular slot and the square cavity.) It keeps the lid closed and the tape safe. When the cassette is inserted into the machine a protrusion on the loader receiving tray pushes the locking lever to one side and releases the lid. As it moves inward and down into position the lid flips up to open to expose the threading pocket. This also releases the tape so threading can begin. The two locating holes correctly position the cassette as it comes to rest on the frame when the threading cycle ends. The locating tab and the tape guards are there to insure that the tape doesn't wander out of the staging position during routine handling. Clicking on the picture will remove the arrows and terminology. Click again on the picture and you see the cassette over the frame with the locating parts identified. Click once again to remove the arrows and terms. Click again to see it sitting in position on the frame just prior to threading the path. The lever unlocking pegs rotate with the lid (shown opened in the lid at the top in this photo) and push the locking levers away from the reels. This allows them to move freely. Click to remove the arrows for a better view. Click again and this illustration has most of the individual components identified. The bosses the cassette sits on are clearly visible in the upper left. The lever unlocking peg that has the lid return spring is shown in the upper right. In the lower part of the photo you can see the teeth on the reels that the levers grab when the lid is closed. They are there to keep the reels from rotating and thus preventing tape spillage when the cassette is being handled. The friction tabs are used to further steady the tape so it leaves and enters the cassette in a controlled manner. The rollers reduce friction during high speed winding. Click on the photo again and you will see the items with no identifiers. Another click and the bosses are explained. Click again and there is further information on the reels and levers. Clicking again shows the lid action detailed. Continuing on shows all the items identified once more and then with the terminology removed. The final photo shows how the cassette tape reels (or spools) are located upon the reel table assembly, this time with the frame and lower half of the cassette shell are removed for clarity. The photos will rotate through as many times as you wish. Note: end of the tape detection for Betamax uses a unique foil leader and metal sensing system. If you want to look at some of the cassettes of formats that didn't survive click here. To go back to the METAL FRAME DESIGN page click here. ©Misterßetamax go to homepage |